The elegant Mandarin Oriental, Munich has had a rich and varied history, though its magnificent neo-Renaissance façade has remained unchanged. Originally designed by its first owner and architect, Johann Kilian Stützel, the building was completed in 1800 and debuted as the Centralsäle with a lavish masked ball.

The Centralsäle quickly became one of Germany’s top dance venues thanks to its grand ballroom. Over the years, the building has hosted controversial theater productions, housed a Bavarian battalion during World War I, and undergone transformations into a wool factory and an antique business.

It was placed under Bavarian state preservation in the 1980s. Since becoming part of the Mandarin Oriental group in 2000, the hotel underwent a 2015 lobby renovation, giving it a brighter, more contemporary atmosphere, including the delightful re-creation of the iconic 1897 August Endell-designed Jugendstil relief above the central staircase. In 2020, the hotel completed the most significant renovation in its history, updating its guest rooms and suites.